Browsing by Author "Mdegela, Robinson H."
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Item Human and animal campylobacteriosis in Tanzania: a review(Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 2013) Komba, Erick V.G; Mdegela, Robinson H.; Msoffe, Peter L.M.The thermotolerant species of Campylobacter have become very important in public health, particularly as agents of infectious diarrhoea in human beings. Though the mechanism by which they cause disease is yet to be fully explained, they have been recognized as the leading cause of bacterial enteritis in both developed and developing countries. The organisms colonize different animal species without causing any symptoms of disease; and humans acquire infections through contact with or consumption of contaminated meat especially raw/undercooked poultry meat. The growing trend of antibiotic resistant Campylobacter isolates continues to pose significant public health challenges. In this review we present the available information generated in Tanzania about Campylobacter infections in humans and animals. We conducted a structured literature search of PUBMED and ScienceDirect electronic databases and identified 15 articles. Studies on humans reported Campylobacter infections in both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects; with higher prevalence in children under the age of five years. Studies on animals found colonization of both domestic and wild species. Among isolates, some demonstrated antimicrobial resistance. The available information for both human and animal Campylobacteriosis in the country is sparse. It however provides an insight of the bacteriological and epidemiological aspects of Campylobacter infections in the country and eventually creates more awareness on the need to develop control strategies. Since the organism is zoonotic its control strategies should adopt the “One Health” approach involving collaborative efforts from veterinary and human medicine.Item Occurrence, species distribution and antimicrobial resistance of thermophilic Campylobacter isolates from farm and laboratory animals in Morogoro, Tanzania(Veterinary World,, 2014) Komba, Erick V.G; Mdegela, Robinson H.; Msoffe, Peter L. M.; Matowo, Denis E.; Maro, Makori J.Aim: To determine the carriage and antimicrobial resistance of Thermophilic Campylobacter species in the gastrointestinal tracts of farm and laboratory animals in Morogoro, Tanzania Materials and Methods: Faecal samples were collected from farm (n=244) and laboratory (n=466) animals and were subjected to the Cape Town protocol for isolation of Campylobacter. Isolates were preliminarily identified based on potassium hydroxide string and hippurate hydrolysis tests. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed for confirmation of isolates.Antimicrobial resistance testing was done using disc diffusion method. Results: Of the laboratory animals, 26.7% of guinea pigs (n=30) and 1.2% of rats (n=242) were colonized with Campylobacter. Four isolates from guinea pigs were Campylobacter jejuni and the other four were Campylobacter coli. From rats, two isolates were C. jejuni and one was C. coli. In farm animals thermophilic Campylobacter were detected from 31.6% of sheep (n=57) and 60% horses (n=5). Of the isolates 12 (57%) were C. jejuni (10 from sheep and 2 from horses) and the remaining were C. coli (8 from sheep and 1 from a horse). The isolates were frequently resistant to erythromycin, norfloxacin, colistin sulphate and nalidixic acid; whereas low levels of resistance were observed for ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. Conclusion: Our study reveals carriage of antimicrobial resistant thermophilic Campylobacter in the intestines of the study animals. This highlights possibilities in involvement of these animals in the epidemiology of Campylobacter infections. Thus, there is a need to consider these animal species when planning control measures for this zoonotic bacterium.Item Optimization of Extraction Conditions and Phytochemical Screening of Root Extract of Synadenium glaucescens Pax(Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2013-10-20) Mabiki, Faith P.; Magadula, Joseph J.; Mdegela, Robinson H.; Mosha, Resto D.Optimization of extraction conditions and phytochemical screening of the root bark of Synadenium glaucescens were carried out in a stepwise manner in order to obtain the highest yields and the constituents of the extracts. Sequential extraction using Soxhlet method was performed using dichloromethane, hexane and petroleum ether, respectively, each followed by ethanol. Extraction conditions included: running time of 2 to 6 hours, temperature at 25 o C to 95 o C and particle size ranging from 0.4mm to >3mm diameter. Phytochemical screening was done using derivatisation techniques, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography. Extraction with dichloromethane followed by ethanol resulted in a higher yield by 25%, within 4 hrs of extraction, particle size of 1mm, at temperatures of 30 o C for dichloromethane and 75 o C for ethanol. Fatty acid analysis indicated absence of free fatty acids in both Dichloromethane and ethanolic extracts. Silylation and Thin Layer Chromatography indicated the presence of non hindered and hindered functionality and the presence of triterpenoids in the dichloromethane extract. Phytochemical screening of the dichloromethane extracts indicated that it is composed of two main triterpenoids that best matched with Lanosterol (42%) and Cycloartenol (31%). Other minor compounds identified through chromatographic analysis were phytol, ergostadiol, hentriacontane, sitastirol aceate, lupeol and hopenone. The ethanolic extracts indicated the presence of polyphenolic compounds.